Tamil Nadu Floods

In November and December 2015, record breaking rainfall from the annual northeast monsoon season led to one of the worst flooding in the history of Tamil Nadu and the nearby coastal areas, with Chennai city, Kanchipuram, Cuddalore and Thiruvalu being the worst affected districts.

UNITED WAYS INVOLVED : United Way Chennai, United Way Bengaluru, United Way Mumbai, United Way Hyderabad, United Way India.

TOTAL FUNDS RAISED: being consolidated

OUR RESPONSE

All local United Ways in India Network along with United Way Worldwide plunged into action to reach out to donors to support people in Tamil Nadu.

United Way Chennai and United Way Bengaluru played a pivotal role in providing immediate relief to the distressed communities in Chennai and suburban areas by mobilizing and dispatching aid within 36 hours of announcement of disaster to people affected; while United Way Hyderabad and United Way Mumbai reached out to corporate partners and set up an online donation page on their websites. United Way India played a coordination role for the network.

UNITED WAY INDIA took the lead in keeping track of emerging relief needsand coordinaton efforts.

UNITED WAY CHENNAI helped organized 2 cleaning drives as part the Clean Chennai initiative, in collaboration with Chennai Runners and Chennai Trekking Club, and with the in kind support of Caterpillar that provided heavy machines (trucks, etc.). The team also distributed relief materials (water, mats and bed sheets, packeted food, sanitary napkins, etc.) to victims and partnered with NGOs and civil society organizations experienced in disaster management to ensure resources reached beneficiaries and no duplication of aid supply took place.

UNITED WAY BENGALURU sent 5 team members to set up a two week relief base camp at Thiruvallur, in partnership with 3 ground level NGOs and the Disaster Management Team, Govt. of Tamil Nadu. Corporate volunteers from Bangalore were mobilised to help distribute the collected relief materials.